Wood and Steam – Charlie Whinney

Wood & Steam: Bending Techniques to Make 16 Projects in Wood. Author, Charlie Whinney

Wood & Steam is a practical introduction to the craft of bending wood showing how wood can be made to behave in remarkable ways with the application of a little heat and steam. Charlie Whinney, the UK’s leading expert on steam-bending, shares the secrets of his unique and seemingly magical craft!

Wood & Steam includes:

• 16 steam-bent projects for coat hangers, trivets, chairs, lampshades, and more
• Practical introduction to the craft of bending wood with steam
• Step-by-step instructions and inspiring photography

Steam-bending is an ancient woodworking process, most traditionally used in boat building and barrel making. But for Whinney it is a mystical practice that produces astonishing works of art. “When you bend a hot piece of wood, it is briefly reanimated into a living thing, and you can see and feel aspects of the wood which are not perceptible until that moment,” Whinney says. “There is a sort of conversation going on between you and the ghost of the tree and you must respond, or risk losing the piece you are working on.”

Whinney’s beautifully compiled book was created to demystify the art of steam-bending. Inside Wood & Steam , Charlie guides you through best practices for the ecological sourcing of wood for your projects (an increasingly growing concern for wood artists), and then, with practical instructions, reveals how to create 16 steam-bent masterpieces for both beginner and advanced artisans.

ISBN 978-1-56523-999-9

Paperback, 144 pages